Despite what the historical sign not far from this cache says,
this area of Wisconsin was not populated much by Native Americans
in the 1700s and 1800s. Records show that both the Ojibwe to the
north and the Dakota to the south and the west avoided this area,
as it was the border area between the tribes, and visited this area
only in times of conflict between the tribes.
This is one of a series of caches along the Chippewa River Trail.
The route traces quiet countryside and broad meanders of the
Chippewa River.
The Chippewa River was once the "Road of War" for the Ojibwe
(Chippewa) and Dakota (Sioux). It was a direct canoe route between
the center of Dakota power at the north end of Lake Pepin and
Ojibwe territory in northwestern Wisconsin. The conflict raged for
more than 150 years with the last battle taking place near Eau
Claire in 1854.
The trail goes though the Lower Chippewa River Valley, an area with
much remaining natural habitat, including 50% of the states plant
species, 70% of the state's fish species, 75% of the state's
nesting bird species and 25% of all native prairies remaining in
the state.